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The IoS delivers the ASA’s courses and is a member organisation. Whether you are a teacher, coach, employer or club you will find everything you need to know about qualifications or educating your workforce.

Exception Codes

Swimmers are allocated exception codes, which prevents them from being disqualified for rule infringement due to the nature of their impairment.

The procedure to identify relevant swimmer exception codes at competitions has been identified as follows:

Disability specific competitions – meet organisers will be responsible for having up to date information about each swimmer at entry and providing this to the meet referee.

Competitions which include Multi-Classification (MC) entry conditions - meet organisers will be responsible for having up to date information about each swimmer at entry and providing this to the meet referee.

For entry where no MC entry conditions exist – the swimmer will be responsible for providing stroke exceptions where applicable. This can be done by checking the relevant Home Country Membership . This can be shown to meet referee via the internet on smart phones or mobile devices, or by producing a printed version of the relevant Home Country Membership page.

The current Codes for Exceptions are as follows:

Starts

W – water start

F – feet start

H – hearing impaired light or signal required

Y – starting device

E – unable to grip for backstroke start

A – assistance required

T – tappers

B – blackened goggles

G – prothesis/glass eyes

P – classification protested

During the swim

0 – nil

1 – one hand start

2 – right hand touch

3 – left hand touch

4 – right hand touch with simultaneous intent to touch with other

5 – left hand touch with simultaneous intent to touch with other

6 – simultaneous intent to touch

7 – part of upper body must touch

8 – right foot must turn out

9 – left foor must turn out

12 – leg drag or show intent to kick

+ – butterfly kick is able to be performed (illegal breaststroke)

This page was formerly about Functional Ability Cards (FACs). These are no longer required for Para-Swimmers to access British Swimming/ASA/SASA/WASA events. British Swimming have completely removed them from circulation.